| Principal Translations |
| keep [sth]⇒ vtr | (save, retain) | guardar⇒ vtr |
| | | conservar⇒ vtr |
| | Don't drink all the water. We need to keep some for tomorrow. |
| | No se tomen toda el agua. Necesitamos guardar para mañana. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (not return) | quedarse con v prnl + prep |
| | | conservar⇒ vtr |
| | I've decided to keep the bike instead of returning it to the store. |
| | Decidí quedarme con la bicicleta en vez de regresarla a la tienda. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (store) | guardar⇒ vtr |
| | | almacenar⇒ vtr |
| | She keeps the canned food in the basement. |
| | Guarda la comida enlatada en el sótano. |
| | Almacena la comida enlatada en el sótano. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (animals: raise) | criar⇒ vtr |
| | She has kept bees for over forty years. |
| | Ella ha criado abejas por cuarenta años. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (put aside) | guardar⇒ vtr |
| | I'll keep some of this preserve for next summer. |
| | Voy a guardar un poco de esta conserva para el próximo verano. |
| keep [sth] vtr | UK (stock) | tener en existencias loc verb |
| | | tener en stock loc verb |
| | No, we don't keep any foreign language books, but we could order this for you. |
| | No, no tenemos en existencias libros en lenguas extranjeras, pero podemos pedírselos. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (conserve) | guardar⇒ vtr |
| | Let's keep the rest of the coal for the really cold weather. |
| | Vamos a guardar el resto del carbón para cuando haga mucho frío. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (reserve) | dejar aparte loc verb |
| | Keep those tables to one side for the managing director and his team. |
| | Deja esas mesas aparte para el director y su equipo. |
| keep doing [sth] v expr | (continue to do [sth]) | seguir haciendo algo loc verb |
| | | continuar haciendo algo loc verb |
| | | quedarse haciendo algo loc verb |
| | He kept working until six o'clock. |
| | Siguió trabajando hasta las seis. |
| keep [sth] vtr | (records: maintain, continue) | llevar⇒ vtr |
| | | anotar⇒ vtr |
| | | llevar la cuenta loc verb |
| | She keeps records of all expenses. |
| | Ella lleva registro de todos los gastos. |
| | Anota todos los gastos. |
| | Ella lleva la cuenta de todos los gastos. |
| Additional Translations |
| keep n | (castle) | fortaleza nf |
| | | castillo nm |
| | | torreón nm |
| | | torre nf |
| | The militia defended the city with bows and arrows from the keep. |
| | Con arcos y flechas, la armada defendió la ciudad desde la fortaleza. |
| | Con arcos y flechas, la armada defendió la ciudad desde el castillo. |
| keep n | UK, dated (maintenance, cleaning) | cuidado nm |
| | The maid was in charge of the keep of the house. |
| | La sirvienta estaba a cargo del cuidado de la casa. |
| keep n | (subsistence) | sustento nm |
| | | manutención nf |
| | He earned a hundred pounds a week, and gave fifty to his mother for his keep. |
| | Él ganaba cien libras a la semana, y le daba cincuenta a su mamá para su sustento. |
| keep⇒ vi | (continue on a course) | seguir⇒ vi |
| | | continuar⇒ vi |
| | Columbus kept west till he found land. |
| | Colón siguió navegando hasta que encontró tierra firme. |
| keep vi | (remain unspoiled) | conservarse⇒ v prnl |
| | The meat will keep for weeks if frozen. |
| | La carne se conserva por semanas si se congela. |
keep right,
keep left vi + adv | (sign: stay on left, right) | manténgase a la derecha, manténgase a la izquierda expr |
| | | mantenga su derecha, mantenga su izquierda expr |
| | The road sign said "keep left." |
| | La señal de tráfico decía «manténgase a la izquierda». |
| keep [sb]⇒ vtr | (support) | mantener a vtr + prep |
| | (figurado) | alimentar a vtr + prep |
| | He works long hours to keep her and her five children. |
| | Él trabaja mucho para mantenerla a ella y a sus cinco hijos. |
| | Él trabaja mucho para alimentarla a ella y a sus cinco hijos. |
| keep [sb] vtr | UK (provide lodging) | tener⇒ vtr |
| | | acoger a vtr + prep |
| | She keeps five lodgers in her little house. |
| | Ella tiene cinco huéspedes en su pequeña casa. |
| | Acoge a cinco personas en su pequeña casa. |
| keep doing [sth] vtr | (continue on) | seguir⇒ vtr |
| | Keep going straight and you will find the store. |
| | Sigue derecho y te vas a encontrar la tienda. |
| keep [sth]⇒ vtr | (fulfill commitment) | cumplir⇒ vtr |
| | | mantener⇒ vtr |
| | Jill left to keep her appointment with Professor Evans. |
| | Jill se fue para cumplir con su cita con el profesor Evans. |
| keep [sb/sth]⇒ vtr | (have custody of) | quedarse con v prnl + prep |
| | (legal) | tener la custodia loc verb |
| | She kept the children after the divorce. |
| | Después del divorcio ella se quedó con los niños. |
| | Tras el divorcio ella tuvo la custodia de los niños. |
| keep [sb]⇒ vtr | (detain) | retener a vtr + prep |
| | The police kept the men all night for questioning. |
| | Retuvieron a los hombres toda la noche para interrogarlos. |
| keep [sth/sb] + [adj] vtr + adj | (conserve as specified) | mantener⇒ vtr |
| | Peter likes to keep his car clean. |
| | A Pedro le gusta mantener su coche limpio. |
Locuciones verbales
keep | keeping |
| keep ahead vi phrasal | figurative (be first, outdo others) | mantenerse en la delantera loc verb |
| keep ahead of [sth] vi phrasal + prep | figurative (manage in advance) | solucionar con antelación loc verb |
| | Jill is trying to keep ahead of the weeds in her garden. |
| | Jill está intentando solucionar con antelación el tema de las malas hierbas de su jardín. |
| keep at [sth] vtr phrasal insep | informal (continue) (informal) | seguir en algo vi + prep |
| | | persistir en algo, perseverar en algo vi + prep |
| | Eva struggled at first, but kept at it, and passed her driving test at the first attempt. |
| | A Eva le costó mucho al principio, pero siguió en ello y aprobó el examen de conducir al primer intento. |
| keep [sth/sb] back vtr phrasal sep | (prevent getting closer) | mantener lejos vtr + adv |
| | | mantener alejado vtr + adj |
| | | no dejar acercar loc verb |
| | A fence around the racing track keeps spectators back. |
| | Una reja alrededor de la pista mantiene lejos a los espectadores. |
| keep [sth] back vtr phrasal sep | informal (save) | ahorrar⇒ vtr |
| | | guardar⇒ vtr |
| | | reservar⇒ vtr |
| | It's a good idea to keep some money back for unexpected needs. |
| | Es buena idea ahorrar algo de dinero para necesidades inesperadas. |
| keep [sth] down vtr phrasal sep | (repress [sth]) (volumen, precio, etc) | mantener bajo loc verb |
| | (sentimiento) | reprimir⇒, contener⇒ vtr |
| | | limitar⇒ vtr |
| | The teacher asked the boys to keep the noise down. |
| | El profesor le pidió a los chicos que mantuvieran bajo el volumen. |
| keep [sth] down vtr phrasal sep | (digest with difficulty) (digestión) | retener⇒ vtr |
| | | contener⇒ vtr |
| | Although my stomach was upset, I kept my breakfast down. |
| | Aunque me sentía mal del estómago, pude retener el desayuno. |
| keep [sth] hidden vtr phrasal sep | (conceal) | tener escondido loc verb |
| | | esconder⇒ vtr |
| | Sara kept her diary hidden so that her little sister wouldn't read it. |
| | Sara tiene el diario escondido para que su hermana pequeña no lo lea. |
keep [sth] in,
keep in [sth] vtr phrasal sep | figurative (repress, restrain: emotion, etc.) (emociones) | contener⇒ vtr |
| | | reprimir⇒ vtr |
| | (figurado) | tragarse⇒ v prnl |
| | Tim could barely keep his excitement in as he told us the news. |
| | Tim apenas podía contener su emoción mientras nos contaba la noticia. |
keep [sth] in,
keep in [sth] vtr phrasal sep | figurative (withhold, prevent from getting out) | guardar⇒ vtr |
| | | contener⇒ vtr |
| | Tania was bursting to tell Audrey the secret, but somehow she managed to keep it in. |
| | Tania se moría por contarle el secreto a Audrey, pero de alguna manera logro guardarlo. |